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Topic: The Merged Final Fantasy XIII-2 Thread

XIII-2 has the most enjoyable story in a FF since FFIX, both have fun with it universe and none of the characters annoyed me. I mean Vanille was cute and all but a part of me wanted to kill that character (the other wanted to have sex with her).

It's also easy to think it's good if you go in with really, REALLY low expectations. I'd take this over SO4 any day, at least FFXIII-2 seems to know HOW to have fun with itself.

Yeah, I think that may be what bittered you to 13-2, Ashton. You played Mass Effect 3, which was a good story SHUT UP YES IT WAS A GOOD STORY, and then followed it with 13-2 which was infinitely less impressive. I went into 13-2 having just finished 13. I had absolutely nowhere to go but up from there.

It's also easy to think it's good if you go in with really, REALLY low expectations. I'd take this over SO4 any day, at least FFXIII-2 seems to know HOW to have fun with itself.

What amazes me in regards to SO4 was the fact that it started out trying to have fun with itself and failed miserably in regards to both the fun it presented and the willingness to not take itself seriously.

It's also easy to think it's good if you go in with really, REALLY low expectations. I'd take this over SO4 any day, at least FFXIII-2 seems to know HOW to have fun with itself.

Yeah, I think that may be what bittered you to 13-2, Ashton. You played Mass Effect 3, which was a good story SHUT UP YES IT WAS A GOOD STORY, and then followed it with 13-2 which was infinitely less impressive. I went into 13-2 having just finished 13. I had absolutely nowhere to go but up from there.

I came off of Xenoblade so that definitely isn't it.

Played Xenoblade, was disappointed, and XIII-2 was definitely a step up.

Played Xenoblade, was disappointed, and XIII-2 was definitely a step up.

Well, I didn't go in expecting to be blown away like I was with Xenogears (too old/seen enough to be THAT impressed by a JRPG again) or expecting anything as convoluted as Xenosaga, just hoped for a competent enough story that may or may not share themes with other Xeno games. That's enough for me out of most JRPGs these days.

I wish they'd milk costumes more, there's a massive amount of space for it. Noel as Squall, for example?? :D I would have liked to see more cameo outfits. I'd like some FFX-2 treatment of the BLK and WHT mage outfits (you know, make 'em kinda fancy... or give Noel glowing yellow eyes...?? Maybe not).

The costumes are actually very well done. There's a lot of detail in them, and they made an effort to prevent clipping for the most part. For the cost, they're much better than the Tales costumes.

Eugh. $4 per costume is ridiculous for those. The only perk they have that the FF ones don't is of course changing the battle theme (which is unfortunately a perk since Graces' music is largely forgettable).

Noel's Ass Creed outfit is fantastic for the detail. Generally, I've liked his outfits better for it (since Serah is usually...showing more skin than showing detailed clothing haha)

Yeah. the costumes were really well done. Even the swimsuit. Sure it's total fanservice, but I was quite surprised at how detailed and original the design was. Usually when they do suimsuits (Xenoblade and Xenosaga, I'm looking at you), they just try to get away with giving the ladies the least amount of coverage possible, but the designs are completely boring and unattractive. Serah's swimsuit costume looked like it was probably designed by someone not simply fishing for quick eye candy (woman or gay man maybe... or maybe a really thoughtful straight guy). The summoner costume was a bit unfortunate though, it looked kinda boxy, somehow. They made it look attractive in the prerendered graphic with Serah jumping through the air, but when she was just walking around, it looked like an abrupt triangle.

I'm actually a really big fan of Serah's default outfit, though. I think they really captured the same basic theme as Lightning's outfit (FFXIII), but made it more feminine and less militant. The only outfit in the series that I completely dispise is Serah's original outfit. It looks like a fluffy nightgown. It's impossible to take it seriously, and to really believe someone would walk around town (or a night carnival) in that gidup.

Not sure about Noel's Aladin pants though. He really looks like a Kingdom Hearts character with that thing.

On other things, I'm not sure I understand all the Caius love. Yeah, he looked/sounded cool, but in the end, his motives were just rediculous. I tried explaining the plot to my girlfriend, who was interested in the series, and everything in the game sounded alright until I tried to explain WHY the villain was doing all this, then I felt really stupid for even trying to explain it. I think he possibly has the single worst motive of any villain in the FF series, possibly even worse than Seymour. I was REALLY let down when he finally revealed his reasons. They could have come up with something far less silly.

Caius has spent what could be summed up as eternity watching Yeul die. Repeatedly, frequently, and for the silliest of reasons. At first, he knew why she had to pass on, but after the umpteenth time watching her pass again, he finally snapped. What was the point of it all, the continued cycle of a life so short that it barely holds any meaning, outside of the one watching it happen. Knowing he could never escape this fate, having to watch her die again and again, he tried to beat his shitty hand. If he couldn't save her directly, he could take fate out of the equation. No goddess, no time, no order, no worries.

Seriously, I can't blame him. I bet snow would kill a goddess to bring serah back....oh wait he did. Caius is hands down the most tragic villian in ff, and arguably the most powerful. It's a shame he turned out the way he did, would have probably made a cool hero.

(We really need to change the "Spoiler Tag" to the Quote+Black Text Colour... I hate reading a paragraph in a marquee).

He is cool, but I still think he gets too much love, mainly because his motives for saving Yeul, and extraordinarily bland character to begin with and completely irrelevant to the series till 13-2 and it's "new-fiction" (i.e.; switching from Fal'cie centered plot to a Time Travel one) is stupid. IF maybe he had a daughter that was born as a "Yeul", it'd make a bit more sense, but she is otherwise just a tragic lass. Yeul does suffer a tragic fate, but none so stupid to destroy time and order and everything else for her sake (in effect wiping even them two from it).

I think Serah's absolutely impossibly styled hair is what gets me the most. The mullet out back, curls on the side, and the most bizarre blend of real-life-anime bangs in front. o_<But, I've said it before, and I'll say it again, at least JRPGs like giving long hair to their characters... Mass Effect gave you a choice of buzzcut, man-do, or short bob.

I think Serah's absolutely impossibly styled hair is what gets me the most. The mullet out back, curls on the side, and the most bizarre blend of real-life-anime bangs in front. o_<But, I've said it before, and I'll say it again, at least JRPGs like giving long hair to their characters... Mass Effect gave you a choice of buzzcut, man-do, or short bob.

That reminded me how much I still like the hairstyle of Ashley Riot. :p